On Friday, Thomas watched from the sidelines as the Mustangs defense stopped Port Arthur Memorial on a fourth down. The score was tied between the two unbeatens when Thomas took the field one last time. Less than three minutes remained in the game.

Thomas handed the ball off four straight times. On the final two plays, he kept it, scoring the winning touchdown with 29 seconds left.

"Each play has a different read - all the pass plays and the runs," said Thomas, who ran for 153 yards and scored twice Friday. "We were reading the end, and he wanted to chase the running back, so I pulled it."

Lofty standards

That awareness and calmness weren't automatic for Thomas.

Not at a program that has won it all and expects to be there every season.

Not when he's asked to do some of what Bobby Reid did for North Shore. Reid, who led North Shore to a Class 5A Division I state title, was among the former Mustangs in attendance Friday.

"It's a lot of weight on your shoulders having to uphold the tradition," Thomas said. "I like it, though. I like the pressure, and it's just an honor to be able to lead this team.

"Bobby gets a lot of respect. We've had a lot of great players and a lot of great quarterbacks, so it's an honor to be mentioned with them."

Thomas has totaled more than 1,200 yards of offense through six games, running for nine scores and throwing for five.

"Just make plays and take what the defense gives me," he said. "They want me to run, I'll run it. They want to pass, I'll pass it. You have to do that. Once you start forcing things, you're not in your game. You're thinking too much, and everyone knows you're not moving fast when you think."

Slowing down

He learned that through on-the-job training. Thomas had 15 total touchdowns a year ago but missed time due to injuries. He remembers thinking too much before he settled in.

"It's hazy. You see a lot of running," he said. "But this year, it's been kind of easy because the game slowed down a lot for me. It's just reaction."

And North Shore has benefited, improving its record to 6-0 and joining La Porte as the only 21-5A teams without a district loss. It faces Baytown Sterling on a short week.

"Our motto is the next one," Thomas said. "So we're going to keep going each practice, each rep, each day and each game and keep going forward."